Page 13 of Long Past Dawn
My half-sober brain told me now was not the time to push her on it, so I threw the covers off my legs and sat on the edge of the bed. “I need to be getting back to the ranch. The chores will have to be done, even if I’m late.”
Dawn took my arm, and I glanced down at it, noting her fingers weren’t as swollen as they had been at the café. That was good. She was healing from whatever she’d done to injure them. “Blaze made sure Corbyn did the chores.”
I ran a hand down my face and groaned. “Son of a motherless goat,” I moaned. “When I show back up around that place, Blaze is probably going to fire me from his ranch and as his brother.”
Her snort of laughter made my heart pump harder. I loved when she let her joy out into the world. I hadn’t seen her joy for almost a year, and I was starting to worry it was gone for good. “You aren’t that lucky.”
My guffaw made her smile for the first time since we woke up, and my finger trailed down her cheek until my hand could hold her chin again. “Dawn Lee, you’re exquisite in the light of the morning sun.”
“At least now that I don’t weigh two hundred pounds, right?” She asked the question with defensive snark, but she kept her gaze pinned on the bed.
I dipped my head down until she was forced to make eye contact with me again. “I never said that. Why would I say that when I had no idea how much you weighed, nor did I care? I didn’t care then, and I don’t care now.”
“You’re a liar, Beau Hanson.”
“You’re right, I am,” I said, and the light in her eyes dimmed to near extinction. “What I mean is, I care about your weight loss because I’m worried that you’re sick. I’m worried something is seriously wrong. I don’t care how much you weigh as long as you’re healthy.” I blew out a breath in frustration. I had too much to drink last night and wasn’t thinking well on my feet. I finally had an opening to find out what was going on with her, and I was stumbling around like a minutes old red dog. “I’m sorry, Dawn. My head is still messed up, but I was trying to say I’m worried about you. Please don’t be upset with me.”
Her hand touched my arm, and my heart calmed instantly. The simple slowing of my heart told me more than anything, but I didn’t know what to do about it.
“I’m not upset. I’m sorry for being defensive. My head is kind of messed up this morning too. I’ll make that coffee while you clean up,” she said quietly. “Blaze and Heaven are waiting at the ranch to talk to you.”
My eyes closed at the thought. “Can I just stay here with you?”
Dawn chuckled, and when I opened my eyes, she had her robe on and stood by the side of the bed. “Sorry, being an adult doesn’t work that way, Beau.”
I stood too and walked around the bed. “I know I have to apologize to Blaze and Miss Heaven, but I don’t know how to apologize for something you can bet the farm on.”
Dawn tipped her head, and I noticed she wore her confused expression. “Bet the farm on?”
“Something true.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, but she grimaced when she did it. I would bet the farm that she didn’t even know she did it with every movement.
“In a nutshell, you told Blaze he doesn’t respect you and doesn’t care about his ranch. Is that what you mean by the truth?”
“I never said he didn’t care about his ranch. I said I’m running it while he plays. There’s a difference. If that ain’t the truth, then God’s a possum. Same as when it comes to him not respecting me. He doesn’t. We’re the same damn age, and he acts like I’m his little brother.”
“I can’t deal with any more of your sayings before coffee, Beau. All I know is, you’re going to have to talk to them whether you want to or not.”
“I hate it when you’re right.”
Dawn smiled then, and it lightened the load on my shoulders a little bit. I loved her smile, but she hadn’t worn it enough lately. “I’ll get the coffee started. I have my chores to do too.”
“Thanks, Dawn.”
She walked to the bedroom door and paused. “But, Beau?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll give you a little piece of advice in a way you’ll understand it best. There are two sides to every story. Remember that when you’re talking to your best friend today.”
She tapped the doorframe and walked out, leaving me to think about what she said and the way she said it. They couldn’t make it plainer to me that no one was on my side. Not about how I was feeling or how the business was being run. I fell to the bed, my limbs heavy at the realization it was high time I packed my bags and found a place that appreciated my work. A place where my heart didn’t break every time that pair of brown eyes refused to give me a chance.
When I arrived at the ranch, the barn was blissfully quiet other than the soft snuffles of the horses. I was never more grateful for a frigid morning before in my life. Once the chores were done, no one hung around the barn. Dawn offered me a ride, but I’d walked back instead, and I was glad I had. I wanted to clear my head of the bad decisions I’d made over the last few nights.
After the cold walk, my headache was gone, and I was ready to get a few hours of work under my belt. I planned to stay hidden away in the barn, so Blaze and Heaven didn’t know I was here just yet. Sure, I was delaying the inevitable, but there was one last thing I had to do here before I could tell them goodbye and be on my way.
“Hey, Grover,” I cooed to the horse, who hung his head over the stall door for a nose rub. “How’s it going, buddy?” I asked while I rubbed his speckled snout. “You’re a good boy, aren’t you?” I gave him an apple, and he munched it, his lips flapping in response to my question. “You work hard to keep Miss Heaven safe, so I’m going to help you out a little bit now. You’re getting old, boy. You gotta stop getting up and down to help your rider. I have a way to do that.”
